Apparatus for and method of processing wet strand-like material

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for and method of processing wet strand having a tendency to effect a coherence of the strands upon contact with each other including subjecting the advancing separated side-byside wet strands to conditions promoting a drying of the strands to a non-coherent state on their way to a collection zone and accumulating the strands at the collection zone.

United States Patent 1 Smith 1 51 Feb. 20, 1973 1541 APPARATUS FOR ANDMETHOD OF PROCESSING WET STRAND-LIKE MATERIAL Inventor:

Assignee:

Filed:

Appl. No.:

Roy E. Smith, Columbus, Ohio Owens-Corning Fiberglas Corporation March27, 1972 Related US. Application Data Continuation-in-part of Ser. No.40,024, May 25, W

1970, abandoned.

US. Cl. ..65/3, 117/126 GB, 118/63, 118/69 Int. Cl ..C03c 25/02 Field ofSearch ..65/2, 3, 11 W; 117/126 GB; 118/61, 69, 65, 67, 63

Primary Examiner-Robert L. Lindsay, Jr. Att0rneyRonald C. l-ludgens 5 7ABSTRACT Apparatus for and method of processing wet strand having atendency to effect a coherence of the strands upon contact with eachother including subjecting the advancing separated side-by-side wetstrands to conditions promoting a drying of the strands to a noncoherentstate on their way to a collection zone and accumulating the strands atthe collection zone.

12 Claims, 13 Drawing Figures Wee PATENTED 3,717, 448

SHEET 1 OF 4 Eigu 9- PATENTED FEBZO I975 SHEET Q 0F 4 APPARATUS FOR ANDMETHOD OF PROCESSING WET STRAND-LIKE MATERIAL This is acontinuation-in-part of copending application Ser. No. 40,024, filed May25, 1970 now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION It has been the practice to protect glassfilaments in continuous glass filament forming operations by applying asizing liquid or other protective liquid to individual glass filamentsprior to combining them into a strand bundle or bundles for collectioninto a wound package of wet glass strand. While this practice of wetprocessing glass filaments in glass filament forming operations causeslong subsequent drying steps, the very nature of glass filaments demandsapplication of a protective liquid before combining them into a strandbundle. Unprotected glass filaments tend to abrade each other uponcontact. Consequently, processes of forming continuous glass filamentsmust form a protective coating on the glass filaments before combiningthem into a strand.

Subsequent drying of wet wound strand packages is a long process thatcauses migration of solids in the sizing or coating in strand packagesas liquid moves for evaporation at the periphery of packages. Suchmovement of the solids tends to concentrate these solids in the strandportions located near the periphery of the package. Because strands fromthese packages possess varying amounts of solids along their length,strand properties are not uniform along their length; accordingly, suchstrands are not wholly satisfactory.

Upon drying, wound packages of glass strand are ready for additionalprocessing. The type of processing depends upon the end use of thestrand, which is generally determined by such things as the size of thefilament diameter and the number of filaments in a bundle. Glass strandssuitable for textile application may pass through a twisting and plyingoperation. Glass strands suitable for use as a reinforcement formaterial such as plastics may be made into roving; subsequently, theroving may be chopped into short lengths. Each of these processes is anoperation occuring after package drying. Each of the strand processingoperations is time consuming and expensive. For example, in roving anumber of creels hold the packages of dry strand and winding apparatuscombines the strands and winds the combined strands into a woundpackage, i.e., a roving ball. Because the cohesive forces of the sizingadheres the individual filaments of a strand together, the filaments inthe strands are somewhat held together. Accordingly, glass roving is abundle of strands that are made up of glass filaments held together bysizing applied to the glass in the glass filament forming operation.

As one can appreciate, conventional processing including dryingoperations is slow and cumbersome. Even with these drawbacks the strandproduce manufactured by prior methods is less than wholly satisfactorybecause migration of solids within a drying strand package provides astrand product that does not have a uniform amount of sizing solidsalong its length. Then too, when wet strand collected into a package issubsequently dried, the cohesive forces of the sizing tends to cohereadjacent strands together to cause strand breaks during subsequentprocessing.

Further, it has been necessary to have operators thread strands by handinto the slots of strand traversing devices employed on winding machinessuch as the winders used in glass filament forming operations. The slowhand threading process is not compatible with the high speed windingmachines employing the traverse devices.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is improvedapparatus for and method of processing filamentary strand-like units.

Another object of the invention is apparatus for and method of advancingtowards a collection zone separated wet strands that have a tendency toeffect a coherence between themselves upon contact with each other andsubjecting them to conditions promoting drying of the strands to anoncoherent before accumulating them at the collection zone.

Another object of the invention is apparatus for and method of advancingtowards a collection zone separated wet strands that have a tendency toeffect a coherence between themselves upon contact with each other andsubjecting them to conditions promoting drying of the strands to anoncoherent condition before gathering the strand together.

Another object of the invention is apparatus and method of collectingdry glass strand as a wound package in a glass fiber forming operation.

Still another object of the invention is to collect a dry glass rovingproduct as a wound package in a glass fiber forming operation.

Still another object of the invention is to process glass strand into aroving product by advancing separated wet glass strands into a dryingzone and totally drying the glass strands prior to combining them.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent asthe invention is described hereinafter in more detail with referencemade to the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevation view ofapparatus operating according to the principles of the invention forforming and processing continuous glass filaments into a roving productcollected as a package on a winder;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the microwave drying unit shown in FIGS.1 and 2;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view in section of the microwave drying unitshown in FIGS. 1-3;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of a modified microwave drying unit foruse with the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1-4;

FIG. 6 is a side elevation view of another microwave drying unitsuitable for use with the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;

FIG. 7 is another side elevation view of the microwave drying unit shownin FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a somewhat diagrammatic front elevation view of choppingapparatus severing the glass roving product into short lengths. One mayuse the apparatus at a glass filament forming operation or locate theapparatus as a separate processing operation;

FIG. 9 is a side elevation view of modified apparatus operatingaccording to the principles of the invention forming continuous glassfilaments into individual glass strands and collecting these glassstrands dry into a wound package on a winder;

FIG. 10 is a front elevation view of the drying and winding apparatusshown in FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of a comb-like strand traversing member for aplurality of strands used with the apparatus shown in FIGS. 9 and 10where the strand traverse member is out of engagement with separatedstrands advancing to the winder;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the strand traversing member shown in FIG. 1 lwhere the strands are held in divided relation between the projectionsof the member;

FIG. 13 is a somewhat diagrammatic front elevation view showing thewound package formed using the apparatus of FIGS. 9 and 10 to supplyglass strand to several bobbins in a twisting operation.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS While the apparatus and methodof the invention are particularly valuable in processes of formingfilaments from heat softened fiber forming mineral material such asmolten glass where apparatus attenuates individual molten glass streamsinto glass filaments, combines individual glass filaments into a strandbundle and collects the strand as a wound package, one may use theapparatus and method to process other types of linear units such asmonofilaments and multifilament linear strand-like units of other fiberforming materials, e.g., nylons, polyesters and the like. Accordingly,the use of glass strands and glass strand bundles in a glass filamentforming operation is only an example to explain the operation of theinvention; the invention has utility in other textile operationsincluding processing other multifilament linear strand-like units suchas yarns, cords and the like.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show apparatus for producing a glass roving product in aglass filament forming operation. The apparatus processes continuousglass filaments from molten glass streams and combines the continuousglass filaments wet with sizing liquid into a. selected number offilament bundles or strands prior to combining the strands into a strandbundle. Because the sizing on the strands tends to effect a coherencebetween the wet strands upon contact with each other and tends toincrease such coherence as the strands dry, the apparatus of theinvention subjects the separated advancing glass strands to conditionspromoting drying to a noncoherent state before gathering the strandstogether into a bundle of strands or roving for collection by a winder.As illustrated a container 10 holds a supply of molten glass. Thecontainer 10 may connect to a forehearth that supplies molten glass froma furnace or may connect to a means for supplying glass such as glassmarbles that a melter or other means associated with the container 10reduces to a molten condition. At the ends of the container 10 areterminals 12 that connect to a source of electrical energy to supplyheat by conventional resistance heating to the molten glass held in thecontainer 10 to maintain such molten glass at proper fiber formingtemperatures and viscosities. The container 10 has a bottom 14 with aplurality of orifices or passageways for delivering streams 16 of moltenglass from the container 10. As shown, the openings comprise a pluralityof depending orificed projections or tubular members 18.

The molten glass streams 16 are attenuated into individual continuousglass filaments 20 that are combined into a selected number of bundlesor strands 22 by a comb-like gather shoe 23 located below the container10. As shown the gathering shoe 23 combines the filaments 20 into fourstrands 22 and includes a base support 24 and fingers 25 that projectfrom the support 24. In forming each of the bundles of filaments orstrands 22, a selected number of filaments 20 advance along convergingpaths to merge and to turn on the lengthwise surface of one of thefingers 25. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 the strands 22 advancefrom the fingers 25 along converging paths extending generally from 10to 30 degrees from the vertical.

While the filaments 20 may be protected only by application of water tothem, it is desirable in most instances to apply a conventional sizingliquid or other coating liquid to the filaments 20. The arrangementshown in FIGS. 1 and 2 locates nozzles 26 and 27 near the bottom 14. Thenozzles spray water onto the newly formed filaments 20 before thegathering shoe 23 combines the filaments 20 into the individual strands22.

An applicator 28 supported within a housing 30 just above the comb-likegathering unit 23 applies a'sizing liquid or other coating liquid to theadvancing individual filaments 20. The applicator 28 may be any suitablemeans known to the art such as an endless belt that moves to passthrough sizing liquid or other coating liquid held in the housing 30. Asthe individual filaments 20 advance to pass across the surface of theapplicator 28, some of the liquid on the applicator transfers to them.Consequently the filaments 20 advancing to the shoe 23 are wet and havea tendency to effect a coherence between themselves upon contact. Thetendency to effect such coherence increases as the filaments dry.

While the arrangement normally applies a sizing liquid to the filaments20, it is possible to apply special liquid coating compositions to theadvancing filaments. For example, one could apply an aqueous dispersionof a resorcinol formaldehyde resin.

After the shoe 23 combines the wet filaments 20 into the individualstrands 22, the arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2 subjects the advancingseparated wet glass strands 22 to conditions promoting drying of thestrands to a noncoherent condition prior to gathering them into a strandbundle for collection on a winder 40. Normally, a drying meanscompletely dries the strands 22 before the apparatus combines thestrands 22 into a bundle of strands. As shown, the wet and separatedglass strands 22 advance to a strand drying unit that may be a highfrequency drying means such as a microwave unit 42 operating to dry thestrands 22 before the apparatus gathers them into a bundle of drystrands or roving 44. As more clearly seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the unit 42gathers the strands 22 at its exit outlet into a continuous linearbundle 44 of completely dry strands 22 for accumulation on the winder40. The unit 42 receives its microwave energy from a microwave generatorsuch as a magnetron 45 through a wave guide 46.

The strand bundle or roving 44 of dry strands 22 collects as a woundpackage 47 on the winding machine 40, which normally advances thestrands 22 (strand bundle 44) at a linear speed of from 5,000 to 15,000feet-per-minute. A traversing member 48 mounted for reciprocating motionon a support 50 of the winder 40 moves the advancing bundle 44 back andforth lengthwise of the package 47 as the bundle 44 winds on a collectorsuch as a tube 52 telescoped over a spindle or collet 54 that is drivenin rotation on the winder. Because each strand 22 winds on the package47 as part of a common bundle 44, the length of each of the strands ofthe strand bundle 44 in the package 47 tend to be generally equal.

The support 50 is an assembly that provides substantially infiniteadjustment for the traverse 48 and that includes a rearward unit 56, aforward unit 58 and a cam housing 60. Each of the units 56 and 58 movesabout a separate axis spaced from the collet 54 and package 47.

The rearward unit 56 pivotally mounts on a support tube 62 extendingfrom within the winder 40. Reference letter A in FIG. 2 indicates theaxis about which the rearward unit 56 moves for proper positioning. Theforward unit 58 mounts on the forward portion of the rearward unit 56and moves about an axis indicated by the reference letter B in FIG. 2.The axes A and B are in spaced relation and extend in paralleldirections lengthwise of the collet 54.

The cam housing 60 is on the forward portion of the forward unit 58 andextends in a direction substantially parallel to the axis of rotation ofthe collet or spindle 54. The traverse 48 slideably mounts on the camhousing 60. A motor and drive arrangement within the winder 40 andsupport 50 reciprocates the traverse 48 lengthwise of the collectingpackage 47.

The traversing arrangement of the winder 40 moves the advancing bundle44 back and forth lengthwise of the collecting tube 52 to distribute theadvancing bundle 44 as the winder 40 builds the package 47 The motiongiven to the linear group 44 by the traversing arrangement is lateral ofthe bundles direction of travel to the package 47 and is a combinationof movement provided to the bundle 44 by both rapidly reciprocating thetraverse 48 and more slowly reciprocating the support 50. As shown, thewinder 40 reciprocates the support 50 by moving the support tube 62 backand forth along the axis A.

The winder 40 is an example of collection means useful in packaging theroving 44. It may be advantageous to use a winder such as disclosed inUS. Pat. No. 3,367,587, such winder forming a cylindrical wound package.Moreover, one may use other collection means for accumulating the roving44.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show enlarged views of the microwave unit 42. As shown,the unit 42 is a tubular housing 70 that is made of electricallyconductive material and that is closed at both ends to provide acylindrical resonant cavity 72 excited by the magnetron 45 through thewave guide 46. The tubular housing 70 has a closed entrance end 78 witha strand entrance slot 80 of sufficient size to admit the wet and spacedapart strands 22, which are advancing along converging paths, into theresonant cavity 72. At the closed exit end 82 of the tubular housing 70is a strand exit slot 84 smaller than that the opening 80. The closedend 85 of the exit slot 84 gathers the dried strands 22 into the largerstrand bundle 44. The housing has a strand lacing slot 86 communicatingwith the slots and 84 and the resonant cavity 72. The slot 86 extendsaxially in the side wall of the tubular housing 70 and partially acrossthe ends 78 and 82 in alignment with the slots 80 and 84. The width ofthe lacing slot is shown to be the same width as the entrance slot 80and exit slot 84. An operator can swiftly position the strands 22 fortravel through the unit 42 by introducing the strands into the slots 80and 81 through the lacing slot 86.

The position of the closed end of the exit slot 84 presents a surfacethat pushes strands 22 closer to the surface into the strands furtheraway from the surface. As shown, the closed end 85 is on thelongitudinal axis of the housing 70. Such a position locates theadvancing converging strands more centrally in the resonant cavity inaddition to gathering the strands.

Because the strands 22 travel over the surface of the closed end 85 ofthe exit slot 84, the microwave unit 42 uses an insert 88 to assist indefining the surface of the exit opening 84. This arrangement is moreclearly seen in FIG. 4. The insert provides the exit opening 84 with asmooth rounded surface that does not abrade the glass filamentstraveling across it. Because portions 90 in the end 82 conform to thebody of the insert 88, only the rounded surface of the insert 88defining the narrowest portion of the exit slot 84 exposes itself to theresonant cavity. Accordingly, the material of the exit end 82effectively shields the cavity 72 from the material of the insert 88.

As FIG. 4 shows, an insert 92 generally defines the entrance slot 80with a rounded surface. Like the exit opening 84, portions 94 of the end78 conform to the insert 92 to shield the resonant cavity from thematerial of the insert 92.

While the inserts 88 and 92 are normally made of nonelectricallyconducting material compatible with glass such as micarta or a suitableceramic, it is possible to use electrically conducting material, e.g.brass and graphite.

While it is possible to use microwave drying units operating in highermodes, the microwave arrangement of FIGS. 14 normally operates thecylindrical resonant cavity 72 in its fundamental mode to couplemicrowave energy into the liquid on the strands 22. More specifically,the apparatus operates in the TM mode where the electric fieldcomponents or lines extend in a direction parallel to the longitudinalaxis of the resonant cavity and where the electrical field increasesfrom substantially zero along the internal wall surface of the tubularhousing 70 to a maximum along the longitudinal axis of the cavity 72.The increase in electrical field intensity is a curved line functionproviding a substantially higher electrical field intensity in thecentral region of the cavity 72 than the outer regions of the cavity;the transverse electrical field intensity profile is uniform throughoutthe length of the cavity 72. According to field orientation in the TMmode in a cylindrical resonant cavity, the magnetic field orients itselftransverse of the cavity 72. Magnetic field components or lines extendcircumferentially about the cavitys longitudinal axis. The magneticfield lines, in any one transverse plane, are arranged in concentriccircles that are centered on the longitudinal axis of the cavity 72. Theintensity of the magnetic field increases from substantially zero at thelongitudinal axis of the cavity to a maximum at the interior wallsurface of the tubular housing 70.

When using most sizing liquids and other coatings, it is useful tooperate the microwave heating unit 42 generally in a range of from 2,400to 5,000 megacycles to remove liquid from traveling strands advancing ata linear strand speed of from 5,000 to 15,000 feet-perminute. One canvary frequencies and speeds as necessary under differing conditions anddifferent coatings.

A suitable arrangement supplies air to the resonant cavity 72. As shown,a source of air under appropriate pressure connects at one end to a tube96, the other end of the tube 86 communicates with the resonant cavity72. The air purges the resonant cavity 72 to insure that the cavity doesnot become saturated with moisture; moreover, because power dissipatedin the unit 42 generates heat in the walls of the tubular housing 70,the moving air cools the interior surfaces of the tubular housing 70. Itmay be useful at times to supply air to the resonant cavity 72 throughthe wave guide 47 together with the microwave energy.

It is advantageous to supply heated air to the resonant cavity 72. FIG.shows the strand drying apparatus of FIGS. 1-4 modified to move heatedair to the cavity 72 through the wave guide 46 together with themicrowave energy from the magnetron 45. The apparatus includes a heaterand blower assembly 98 and a duct 100. The duct 100 connects theassembly 98 with the interior of the wave guide 46. One may alsointroduce heated air into the cavity 72 other ways, such as through thetube 96.

Air purging the resonant cavity 72 controls relative humidity in thecavity 72 and hence, controls the rate at which the air in the cavity 72is able to absorb vapor, such as water vapor, given off by the liquid onthe advancing strands 22 during drying in the cavity 72. Heated air isespecially useful in controlling the relative humidity in the cavity 72.And generally speaking, heated air is more effective in controllingrelative humidity under conditions of greater amounts of vapor releasefrom the liquid on the strands 22. Hence, higher temperature air wouldusually be moved into the cavity 72 under conditions of greater liquidevaporation in the cavity 72 from the strands 22. Air heated at atemperature of about 120F is normally adaquate; however, airtemperatures as high as 250F or higher may be useful.

The velocity of air moving into the cavity 72 should be low enough tokeep the strand lines essentially undisturbed.

In operation, it is preferred to keep the relative humidity in thecavity 72 below 50 percent. But air purging the cavity 72 should keepthe relative humidity in the cavity 72 at least sufficiently low toeffect absorption of vapor by the air in the cavity at least at least ata rate equal to the rate of evaporation of liquid on the strands 22.Besides modifying the air temperature, one can vary the velocity of airsupply to the cavity72.

It is believed possible to use gases other than air to purge theresonant cavity 72. For example the use of an inert gas such as nitrogenis believed useful where the coating material, e.g. a polymeric coatingmaterial, on strands is sensitive to air during drying.

While the microwave arrangement of FIGS. 1-4 uses a wave guide 46 tocouple microwave energy from the magnetron 45 to the resonant cavity 72,one can use other means to transmit the microwave energy from themagnetron 45 to the unit 42. For example, one can employ a co-axialcable with a loop coupling arrangement.

In usual operation the microwave unit 42 completely dries the strands 22prior to gathering them into the strand bundle 44. In the arrangementshown the wet strands 22 advance along converging paths into the tubularhousing through the strand entrance opening 80. The side-by-side strands22 advance lengthwise through the tubular housing 70 in the higherintensity electrical field zone located centrally in the region aroundthe longitudinal axis of the cylindrical resonant cavity 72. The energyin the electrical field heats the liquid on the advancing strands tovaporize it as the strands move toward the exit opening 84. Thecompletely dry strands 22 come together as the strand bundle 44 at theexit opening 84.

Because the wet strands 22 have a liquid sizing or other coating liquidon them, the filaments 20 of the dried strands 22 are joined or adheredtogether by the solids of the sizing or coating. Consequently while thewinder 40 collects a single strand bundle 44, the strands 22 of thebundle 44 are not joined together.

Although it is normally desirable to completely dry the strands 22 priorto combining them into a bundle 44, it is only necessary to dry thestrands 22 to a noncohesive condition with each other. Strands wet withwater even have a tendency to effect a coherence or cohesiveness betweenthemselves on contact. Accordingly, the strands 22 must be dried to anoncoherent condition prior to gathering them together.

FIGS. 6 and 7 illustrate a modified strand drying and gatheringarrangement using a microwave unit 142 having a cylindrical resonantcavity 172 excited by a magnetron through a wave guide 146. The wetstrands 22 advance through the drying unit 142 along converging pathsfocusing on a point beyond (below as seen in FIGS. 5 and 6) the exitopening of the unit 142. As shown, a pigtail 188 spaced from the exitopening of the drying unit 142 gathers the strands 22 into the strandbundle 44. As in the case of the unit 42, a tube 186 supplies air underpressure to the resonant cavity 172.

As in the case of the microwave unit 42, unit 142 can employ a coaxialarrangement in place of the wave guide arrangement shown.

While the embodiments of the invention shown in FIGS. l-7 use amicrowave arrangement for drying strands, one can use'other means fordrying. For example, one may use other high frequency heating means suchas arrangements employing infrared and dielectric energies. It ispossible to use other heating means including thermal ovens, even wheresuch ovens employ open flame. Electromagnetic wave energy in themicrowave range is usually preferred in most cases.

The linear strand bundle 44 of dried strands 22 is especially useful inprocesses employing short lengths of glass strands such as processes formanufacturing glass fiber reinforced plastics. FIG. 8 illustrates achopper arrangement for severing the bundle 44 into short lengths. Asshown, the chopper arrangement includes cooperating cutter roll 192 withblades 194 and a cot roll 196 having an outer surface 197 of resilientmaterial such as a polyurethane composition. Suitable means drives therolls 192 and 196 in rotation. The chopping arrangement cooperates toadvance the linear bundle 44 into a cutting zone between the rolls 192and 196. As shown, the apparatus advances the strand bundle 44 betweenthe cot roll 196 and a first roll 198 in contact with the cot roll.Because the strand bundle 44 is dry or substantially dry, it is usefulto use a second roll such as tuck roll 199 spaced from the first roll198 towards the cutting zone. The tuck roll 199 cooperates to keep thestrand bundle 44 against the resilient surface 197 of the cot roll 196.The blades 194 engage the advancing strand bundle 44 against theresilient surface 197 to sever the strand bundle 44 into short lengths.Because the strands 22 are noncoherent with respect to each other, theyare individual within the strand bundle 44; consequently, the severedlengths of the strand bundle 44 separate themselves into short lengths200 of strands 22 as they fall onto a moving surface 201. One may usethe cutter arrangement in other processes, which may include advancingthe short lengths from the rolls directly into a body of liquid plasticfor mixing and subsequent processing into glass filament reinforcedplastic articles.

One may either locate the chopping arrangement in glass fiber formingoperation or in a separate operation accomplished after collection ofthe strand bundle 44 into the wound package 47. If one uses the choppingarrangement in a glass fiber forming operation, it may be useful to usethe arrangement in place of the winder 40. Accordingly, such amodification to the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 would produce shortlengths of glass strand rather than forming a wound package 47.Alternately, the wound package 47 would supply the linear strand bundle44 to the chopping arrangement in a separate and subsequent operation.

FIGS. 9 and 10 illustrate another process of forming continuous glassfilaments from molten glass that combines the continuous glass filamentswet with sizing liquid into a selected number of filament bundles orstrands and dries the strands in separated relation prior to collectingthem into a wound package. Unlike the apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 and 2that gathers the strands 22, the apparatus of FIGS. 9 and 10 keeps thedried strands separated. As illustrated, a container 210 holds a supplyof molten glass. The container 210 may connect to a forehearth thatsupplies molten glass from a furnace or may connect to a means forsupplying glass such as glass marbles that a melter or other meansassociated with the container 210 reduces to a molten condition. At theends of the container 210 are terminals 212 that connect to a source ofelectrical energy to supply heat by conventional resistance heating tothe glass held in the container 210 to maintain such molten glass atproper fiber forming temperatures and viscosities. The container 210 hasa bottom 214 with a plurality of orifices or passageways for deliveringstreams 216 of molten glass from the container 210. As shown, theopenings comprise a plurality of depending orificed projections ortubular members 218.

The molten streams 216 are attenuated into individual continuous glassfilaments 220 that are combined into a selected number of bundles orstrands 222 by a comb-like gathering shoe 223 located below thecontainer 210. Like the gathering shoe 23, the gathering shoe 223combines the continuous glass filaments 220 into four strands 222 andincludes a base support 224 and fingers 225. In forming each of thebundles of filaments or strands 222 a selected number'of filaments 220advance along converging paths to merge and to turn on the lengthwisesurface of one of the fingers 225. The strands 222 as shown advance fromthe fingers 225 along somewhat converging paths generally from 10 to 30from the vertical.

While the filaments 220 may be protected only by application of water tothem, it is desirable in most instances, as in the case of the apparatusshown in FIGS. 1 and 2, to apply a conventional sizing liquid or othercoating liquid to the filaments 220. The arrangement shown in FIG. 8locates nozzles 226 and 227 near the bottom 214 to spray water onto thenewly formed filaments 220 prior to combining them into the strands 222.

An applicator 228 supported within a housing 230 just about thecomb-like gathering shoe 224 applies a sizing liquid or other coatingliquid to the advancing individual filaments 220. The applicator 228 maybe any suitable means known to the art such as an endless belt thatmoves to pass through the sizing liquid or other coating liquid held inthe housing 230. As the individual filaments 220 advance across thesurface of the applicator 228, some of the liquid on the applicatortransfers to them.

The arrangement of FIGS. 9 and 10 normally operates to completely drythe individual strands 222 prior to collecting them on a winder 240 as awound package 247. As shown, the apparatus advances the wet strands 222in side-by-side separated relation through a high frequency drivingmeans such as microwave unit 242 to dry them. The apparatus keeps thedried strands 222 in side-by-side separated relation as the strandsadvance to form the wound package 247 on the winder 240. Because thestrands 222 advance through the drying unit 242 in spaced apartrelationship, the unit 242 dries the strands 222 individually. As shown,the unit 242 receives its microwave energy from a microwave generatorsuch as a magnetron 245 through a wave guide 246.

The side-by-side strands 222 collect as a wound package 247 onthe-winder 240, which normally advances the strands at a linear strandspeed of from 5,000 to 15,000 feet-per-minute. A traversing member 248mounted on a support 250 on the winder 240 engages the advancing strands222 to move them back and forth lengthwise of the package 247 inseparated side-by-side relationship as the strands wind on a collectorsuch as a tube 252 telescoped over a spindle or collet 254 that isdriven in rotation on the winder 240. The support 250 is like thesupport 50 shown in the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2. As in the case ofthe apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2, the traversing member 248 slideablymounts in a slot 259 of a cam housing 260 forming a part of the supportarrangement 250. The traversing member 248 connects in the housing 260to a cam 261 that reciprocates it lengthwise of the collet 254.

The traverse 248 is a comb-like member with varying length projectingextensions or side-by-side fingers 262 forming slots 264 of differentdepths. The finers 262 extend in nonintersecting relationship with thestrands 222 and terminate at their free end extremities (at the open endof the slots 264) with guide surfaces oriented in a direction oblique tothe axes of projection of the fingers 262. Each of the guide surfaceshas a base side I) and a termination or end side t. Guide surfaces 266engage the strands to force them into the slots 264. As shown, the guidesurfaces 266 terminate in a plane 266a oriented at an angle with thedashed line 268, which is parallel to the axis of rotation of thecollector. Angle 6 is normally from to 50.

Capture of strands in the slots 264 between the fingers 262 occursthrough cooperation between strand and traversing member orientation andthrough design of the member 248. As indicated in FIGS. 11 and 12 thelocation of the apparatus of FIGS. 9 and 10 arranges the strands 222 toadvance as a group in spaced apart side-by-side relation along givenpaths toward the collet 254 before the member 248 engages them. While itis not necessary to orient the non-traversing strands in a plane, planarorientation is normally used where the planar orientation is disposed ina nonparallel relationship with the axis of rotation of the collet 254.Accordingly, before the member 248 engages the strands 222, the strands222 advance along given paths having separated points of tangency at thecollector angularly spaced around the axis of rotation of the collector(tube 252 on the collet 254). FIG. 1 1 shows the strands 222 laterallyof the traverse 248 in a first or nontraversing strand plane that isperpendicular or substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis ofthe collet 254 and essentially parallel to the slots 264 during timesthe strands 222 are out of engagement with the member 248. The cam 261moves the member 248 laterally of the fingers 262 through the strandpaths to engage and move the strands over the guide surfaces 266 todivide the strands between the fingers 262.

Because the fingers 262 extend to locate the guide surfaces 266 withtheir end sides I no further than the base side b of the adjacent fingerguide surface located away from the strands (i.e. the direction awayfrom movement of the traverse 248 to the strands 222), the strandsfreely move into engagement with the guide surfaces. Further, theterminating relationship between the fingers ensures confining surfacesholding the strands 222 between the fingers 262 during traversingmovement of the member 248.

As the member 248 moves into contact with the strand 222 along pathsindicated by the dashed lines in FIG. 11, the guide surfaces 266individually engage the strands 222. As the guide surfaces 266 movethrough the strand paths, the strands 222 move over the guide surfaces266 toward the end sides t. The surfaces 266 push or deflect the strandpaths and accordingly, increase tension in the strands. As each strand222 moves over an end side I, the force of increased tension along thestrands moves the strands into the slots 264. Each of the strands thusbecomes captured in a slot 264; thereafter the laterally moving member248 reciprocates the captured strands 222 with it lengthwise of thecollet 254.

While FIGS. 11 and 12 indicate guide surfaces 266 in their preferredform as flat, it is possible to use curved guide surfaces, e.g. convexor concave.

As indicated in FIG. 11, the fingers 262 orient the captured strands 222in a plane extending in a direction oblique to the axes of projection ofthe fingers 262. As

the strands 222 travel from the traverse 248 to enter the windingpackage 247, the strand orientation vis-avis the winding packagechanges. The strands enter the package in spaced apart relation in aplane following the surface of the package 247.

The length of the slots 264 extend in a direction away from thecollector 252 for a distance greater than the movement of the strands222 along the length of the slots during buildup of the package 247.Thus, the slots 264 are long enough to keep the strands 222 advancing tothe collector therethrough from contacting their closed ends.

The strand drying unit 242 is like the unit 42 shown in FIGS. 1 through7. As illustrated, the unit 242 provides a cylindrical resonant cavity272 that receives it microwave energy from the magnetron 245 through thewave guide 246.

While it is possible to use higher modes in the operation of themicrowave unit 242, the strand drying apparatus shown in FIGS. 9 and 10normally operates the cylindrical resonant cavity 272 in its fundamentalmode, TM as explained in relation to the microwave unit 42.

A suitable arrangement supplies air to the resonant cavity 272. In FIGS.9 and 10 a source of air under pressure connects with one end of'a tube286; the other end of tube 286 communicates with the resonant cavity272. The air purges the cavity 272 as does the air passing through thecavity of the strand drying unit 42.

In usual operation the microwave unit 242 completely dries the strands222 prior to their engagement with the traverse 248. The strands 222advance lengthwise in the strand drying unit 242 through the highintensity electrical field located centrally in the region around thelongitudinal axis of the cylindrical resonant cavity 272. The energy inthe electric field heats the liquid on the strands to vaporize theliquid. The dry strands advance to the traversing member 248. Becausethe wet strands 222 have a liquid sizing or other coating liquid onthem, the filaments 220 of the dried strands 222 are joined or adheredtogether by the solids of the sizing.

Although it is normally desirable to'completely dry the strands 222prior to their entry onto the package 247, it is only necessary to drythe strands 222 to a noncohesive condition with respect to each other.

Like the strand drying arrangement of FIGS. l-7, one can use other meansfor drying the strands. For example, one can use other high frequencyheating means such as those using infrared and dielectric arrangements.Moreover, it is possible to use other heating means such as thermalovens, even ovens employing open flame. Electromagnetic wave energy inthe microwave range is usually preferred.

Because the traverse 248 maintains the advancing strands 222 inseparated relationship, the dry strands 222 tend to keep theirindividual and separated relationship throughout the package 247, evenat the ends of the package.

While the apparatus shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 can operate with otherstrand traversing members functioning to reciprocate the advancingstrands 222 together in separated relationship, the member 248 isespecially useful because of its automatic capture of a plurality ofstrands. The member can be used with apparatus other than the apparatusof FIGS. 9 and 10. Moreover, one

can use strand traversing members like the member 248 in glass filamentforming operations collecting -wet glass strand into wound packages.

FIG. 9 shows the individual strands 222 from the package 247 supplying anumber of bobbins 290 on a twist frame. A suitable means drives thepackage 247 in rotation to provide strands to the bobbins 290. Each ofthe strands 222 passes through a pigtail guide 292 to a traveler 294 ona ring rail 296 and thence onto a bobbin 290.

In both the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 and 9 and 10 it is possible touse drying means in tandem. In the arrangement of FIGS. 1 and 2 strandswould travel through multiple drying means prior to combining them intoa strand bundle, i.e. roving 44. In such an arrangement one can applymore than one type of coating liquid to all of the advancing strands ormultiple applications of the same coating liquid. Such drying means canbe high frequency drying means using the same or different frequencies.One might also use drying combinations such as a unit employingmicrowave energy with a unit using dielectric energy.

In the apparatus of FIGS. 1 and 2 and 9 and 10 it is possible toreciprocate the collet of the winders and keep the traversing membersstationary. Moreover, the drying units can be moved in conjunction withtheir traversing members to keep substantially fixed the length of thelinear bundle(s) traveling from the outlet of drying units to thepackages.

Further, it is possible to operate the apparatus of the invention toprocess linear filament bundles, such as continuous filament glassbundles, by subjecting wet separated filaments to conditions promotingtheir drying to a non-coherent state prior to gathering the filamentsinto a continuous linear filament bundle. As with the otherarrangements, one can use high frequency drying means such as amicrowave unit to effect drying of wet separate filaments, e.g. wetglass filaments.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for processing bundles of filaments comprising:

a high frequency electrical drying oven;

means for advancing separated wet bundles of filaments through the oven;

means for providing high frequency electrical energy to the oven capableof drying the wet separated bundles during advancement therethrough;means for moving gas through the oven effective to remove moisture fromthe oven during strand drying by the high frequency electrical energy;and

means for gathering the bundles upon advancement through the oven. 2.Apparatus of claim 1 wherein the means for providing high frequencyelectrical energy is a microwave energy means.

3. The method of producing and processing continuous filament glasscomprising:

supplying streams of molten glass; attenuating the streams of moltenglass into individual continuous glass filaments advancing toward acollection zone;

applying a liquid acting as sizing to the glass filaments;

combining the wet glass filaments into at least two spaced apartbundles;

drying the spaced apart bundles by subjecting them to a high frequencyelectrical energy field in a confined space; moving gas through theconfined space effective to remove moisture therefrom; and

' gathering the dried bundles.

4. The method of producing and processing continuous filament glasscomprising:

supplying streams of molten glass;

attenuating the streams of molten glass into continuous glass filamentsadvancing toward a winding station;

applying a liquid to the glass filaments; combining the wet glassfilaments into at least two 15 spaced apart strands;

advancing the separated strands through a microwave cavity to effectdrying of the strands; moving air through the cavity effective to removemoisture from the cavity;

combining the dried strands into a bundle; and collecting the bundle ofdried strands as a wound package at the winding station. 5. The methodof processing wet filamentary linear strand-like units having a tendencyto effect a coherence of the units upon contact with each othercomprising:

advancing the wet filamentary linear strand-like units in separatedrelationship toward a collection zone;

subjecting the advancing separated filamentary linear strand-like unitsto high frequency electrical energy in a confined space effective to drysuch units to a noncoherent state;

moving gas through the confined space effective to remove moisturetherefrom;

gathering the advancing filamentary linear strandlike units into acontinuous linear bundle;

severing the continuous linear bundle into short lengths, the shortlengths of the linear bundle separating into individual short lengths offilamentary linear strand-like units; and

accumulating the short lengths of filamentary linear strand-like unitsat the collection zone.

6. The method of claim 5 in which heated gas is moved through theconfined space.

7. The method of processing wet multifilament linear strand-like unitshaving a tendency to effect a cohesiveness of the units upon contactwith each other comprisadvancing the wet multifilament linearstrand-like units in separated relationship toward a winding station;

drying the advancing separated multifilament linear strand-like units toa noncohesive condition by subjecting the units to microwave energy in aconfined space;

moving heated gas through the confined space effec tive to removemoisture therefrom; and

collecting the multifilament linear strand-like units into a singlewound package.

8. The method of processing wet multifilament linear strand-like unitshaving a tendency to effect a cohesiveness of the units upon contactwith each other comprising:

advancing the wet multifilament linear strand-like units in separatedrelationship toward a winding station;

subjecting the advancing separated multifilament linear strand-likeunits to a microwave energy in a confined space to effect drying to anoncohesive condition;

moving gas through the confined space effective to remove moisturetherefrom; and

collecting the multifilament linear strand-like units into a singlewound package where the strand-like units are in separated relationshipin the package.

9. The method of producing glass strand comprising:

supplying streams of molten glass;

attenuating the streams of molten glass into continuous glass filamentstraveling toward a winding station;

applying an aqueous coating material to the glass filaments;

combining the wet filaments into at least two glass strands;

advancing the glass strands in spaced apart side-byside relationshipthrough a microwave unit to effect drying of the strands;

moving air through the unit effective to remove moisture therefrom; and

collecting the separated dried strands into a single wound package.

10. Apparatus for producing and processing continuous filament glasscomprising:

means for supplying streams of molten glass for attenuation intocontinuous glass filaments;

means for applying aqueous liquid to the glass filaments;

means for gathering the wet filaments into at least two spaced apart wetstrands;

a high frequency electrical drying unit capable of drying wet separatedglass strands passed comprising:

advancing separated wet bundles of filaments through a drying zone;

moving gas through the zone effective to promote drying of the bundles;

subjecting the separated bundles to high frequency electrical energy inthe zone to effect drying of the bundles; and

gathering the bundles thus dried.

12. The method of producing and processing glass strand comprising:

supplying streams of molten glass;

withdrawing continuous glass filaments from the streams;

applying a liquid to the advancing glass filaments;

combining the glass filaments into at least two spaced apart bundles;

advancing the wet bundles through a drying cavity;

subjecting the separated bundles in the cavity to high frequencyelectrical energy acting to dry the bundles; moving gas through thecavity effective to remove moisture therefrom; and combining the bundlesthus dried.

1. Apparatus for processing bundles of filaments comprising: a highfrequency electrical drying oven; means for advancing separated wetbundles of filaments through the oven; means for providing highfrequency electrical energy to the oven capable of drying the wetseparated bundles during advancement therethrough; means for moving gasthrough the oven effective to remove moisture from the oven duringstrand drying by the high frequency electrical energy; and means forgathering the bundles upon advancement through the oven.
 2. Apparatus ofclaim 1 wherein the means for providing high frequency electrical energyis a microwave energy means.
 3. The method of producIng and processingcontinuous filament glass comprising: supplying streams of molten glass;attenuating the streams of molten glass into individual continuous glassfilaments advancing toward a collection zone; applying a liquid actingas sizing to the glass filaments; combining the wet glass filaments intoat least two spaced apart bundles; drying the spaced apart bundles bysubjecting them to a high frequency electrical energy field in aconfined space; moving gas through the confined space effective toremove moisture therefrom; and gathering the dried bundles.
 4. Themethod of producing and processing continuous filament glass comprising:supplying streams of molten glass; attenuating the streams of moltenglass into continuous glass filaments advancing toward a windingstation; applying a liquid to the glass filaments; combining the wetglass filaments into at least two spaced apart strands; advancing theseparated strands through a microwave cavity to effect drying of thestrands; moving air through the cavity effective to remove moisture fromthe cavity; combining the dried strands into a bundle; and collectingthe bundle of dried strands as a wound package at the winding station.5. The method of processing wet filamentary linear strand-like unitshaving a tendency to effect a coherence of the units upon contact witheach other comprising: advancing the wet filamentary linear strand-likeunits in separated relationship toward a collection zone; subjecting theadvancing separated filamentary linear strand-like units to highfrequency electrical energy in a confined space effective to dry suchunits to a noncoherent state; moving gas through the confined spaceeffective to remove moisture therefrom; gathering the advancingfilamentary linear strand-like units into a continuous linear bundle;severing the continuous linear bundle into short lengths, the shortlengths of the linear bundle separating into individual short lengths offilamentary linear strand-like units; and accumulating the short lengthsof filamentary linear strand-like units at the collection zone.
 6. Themethod of claim 5 in which heated gas is moved through the confinedspace.
 7. The method of processing wet multifilament linear strand-likeunits having a tendency to effect a cohesiveness of the units uponcontact with each other comprising; advancing the wet multifilamentlinear strand-like units in separated relationship toward a windingstation; drying the advancing separated multifilament linear strand-likeunits to a noncohesive condition by subjecting the units to microwaveenergy in a confined space; moving heated gas through the confined spaceeffective to remove moisture therefrom; and collecting the multifilamentlinear strand-like units into a single wound package.
 8. The method ofprocessing wet multifilament linear strand-like units having a tendencyto effect a cohesiveness of the units upon contact with each othercomprising: advancing the wet multifilament linear strand-like units inseparated relationship toward a winding station; subjecting theadvancing separated multifilament linear strand-like units to amicrowave energy in a confined space to effect drying to a noncohesivecondition; moving gas through the confined space effective to removemoisture therefrom; and collecting the multifilament linear strand-likeunits into a single wound package where the strand-like units are inseparated relationship in the package.
 9. The method of producing glassstrand comprising: supplying streams of molten glass; attenuating thestreams of molten glass into continuous glass filaments traveling towarda winding station; applying an aqueous coating material to the glassfilaments; combining the wet filaments into at least two glass strands;advancing the glass strands in spaced apart side-by-side relationshiPthrough a microwave unit to effect drying of the strands; moving airthrough the unit effective to remove moisture therefrom; and collectingthe separated dried strands into a single wound package.
 10. Apparatusfor producing and processing continuous filament glass comprising: meansfor supplying streams of molten glass for attenuation into continuousglass filaments; means for applying aqueous liquid to the glassfilaments; means for gathering the wet filaments into at least twospaced apart wet strands; a high frequency electrical drying unitcapable of drying wet separated glass strands passed therethrough; meansfor moving gas through the drying unit to remove moisture therefromduring strand drying by the unit; means for gathering the strandssubjected to high frequency energy into a continuous linear bundle; anda winder for collecting the bundle as a wound package.
 11. The method ofprocessing bundles of filaments comprising: advancing separated wetbundles of filaments through a drying zone; moving gas through the zoneeffective to promote drying of the bundles; subjecting the separatedbundles to high frequency electrical energy in the zone to effect dryingof the bundles; and gathering the bundles thus dried.